Israel's political discourse is largely based on the mistaken assumption that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is unlikely to change.

Obviously Israel’s political attention is focused on the ongoing negotiations for the next coalition. This may be the reason why one of the most important opinion pieces that have been published here in the last years went all but unnoticed, Ruth Gavison’s ‘By Ignoring International Law Israel...

Despite leaning towards the Right Wing parties, I honestly feel that we
( Israel ) must now pay the price of a form if Peace with the
Palledtinians . By stopping any further development in the territories
and sincerely negotiating with the PA leadership, we must take the
initiative wether or not the Palestinians agree or not , and to create A
TWO STATE SOLUTION!! IT IS TIME. WE OFFERED OUR CHILDREN A REASONSBLE
CHANCE IF PEACE ! We can deal then with the extremist organizations that
oppose this step but at least the Palestinian people will have their own
identity and formally recognized home! Should we neglect to take this
step very soon , we are going to see a lot of unnecessary blood shed on
all sides!!

The whole article is based on one big mistake. The "West
Bank" was not a sovereign nation when Israel took over the
territory in 1967. It was disputed territory being occupied by Jordan.
Therefore, the whole article is factually wrong. It is not illegal to
build in Judea and Samaria. Any where you dig a hole you find ancient
Jewish artifacts. The overwhelming majority of today's Palestinians
came from Egypt and Syria. Just read 'Battleground: Fact & Fantasy
in Palestine' by Samuel Katz. It will change your whole view of the conflict.

No one is currently commited to peace, because it is currently
imposible. Israel cannot exist without the water it syphons off from
the Palestinians. Solving this problem would be the first clear
indication that Israelis want peace. http://zoltansustainableecon.blogspot.com/2013/02/water-israels-true-barrier-to-peace.html

Thats why the U.N votes against Israel all the time. Former Israeli
Foreign Minister Abba Eban once said: ”If the Arabs introduced a
resolution in the U.N declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel
had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13.

saying the already determined law and UN Charter are irrelevant. Veto
by a UNSC Member State would in itself be illegal under the UN Charter.
Veto can only be on non-predetermined issues and/or actions which might
be taken.

The Israeli constituency favours the present status quo. If there should
be a change, change the threat-level Israel faces. The less threats
being made, the more Israeli consensus will change in the direction of appeasement.

Jews were living in Judea and Samaria 1500 years before Mohammad was
born. As Rabin and now Naftali Bennett are saying. Israel should annex
area C in and all Area's Jews live in Judea and Samaria This was the
Rabin and Bennett plan. Just read, Rabin's last speech in 95 where he
talks about a united Jerusalem and keeping the lands Jews live in Judea
and Samaria forever. The radicals at Haaretz who are apologists for
total Israel surrender should read Rabin's final speech. Here's Rabin's
last speech.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=2805 What the
left want is another Gaza situation, where the West Bank will now be the
terrorist infrastructure against Israel. Just go on Palmediawatch to see
the genocidal murderous aims of Fatah. www.palwatch.org Lets see who's
about apartheid and racism. There are 8500 Jews living in the 22 Arab
countries, while their are 1.5 million Palestinians in Israel. Jews are
barred from living in every Arab country, except a few thousand Jews who
live in Morocco and Tunisia. Jews wants to leave Tunisia with an
Islamist government in power. I should remind people, two of the Top
Tunisian clerics 2 months ago called Jews Apes and for their mass
killing. Just google this story. Tunisian Cleric Al-Suhayli Calls the
Jews Apes, Prays for Allah to Annihilate Them

One important distinction is the Europeans' seeming enjoyment of the
rampant destruction of the sacred and and iconic olive groves. Those
magnificent, centuries-old symbols of God's gifts to the region are
among the most ancient and significant physical manifestations of the
land in her entire 10,000 year history. Even the marauding crusaders
did not destroy the ancient olive groves. When you destroy a 400-year
old olive tree, you attack the land HERSELF! No indigenous person, and
no Jew who lives by Jewish laws and Jewish values, and ethics could BEAR
to do such a thing. It would be like tearing out his heart. The crime of
destroying the olive groves BELIES the claim that the European settlers
love the land. In addition, they appear the ENJOY this crime against the
nature of the land. Take those people someplace where they are
surrounded by cities of concrete, if not jail, THAT'S where they belong.

The only plan Israel can offer that is acceptable to Palestinians is one
in which Israel becomes Palestinian Muslim majority and Palestinian
Muslim ruled. That's what Palestinians want. So, there are enough Jews
who whether for religious or security reasons will continue supporting
controlling and settling the West Bank no matter what the non-Jews think.

The only deal on the table so far as Israel and the Jews are concerned
are Palestinian and Jewish majority states for the long term. If
Palestinians don't like that go take it to the UN, ICC or wherever you
want. It won't change the Jewish stance of keeping Israel a Jewish
majority country.That is a red line for nearly all Jews.

Listing Gavison's achievements, and how carefully she thought things
thru does not make her correct. Did not Israel Give back the Sinai in
1979? Did this not show willingness to give? When Hamas changes their
charter to accept Israel as neighbors, and gets Fatah on board, to offer
security to Israel, then we might once again see that Israel is capable
of generosity. When Hezbollah, The Muslim Brotherhood, Iranians, and
Syrians amend their charters to stop teaching their children how evil
Israel is, we might then see how giving Israel could be. I dream of a
world where Arabs embrace Jews, and Jews embrace Arabs. For now its a
fantasy. The reality is Israel is being taken to court as a criminal.
What shall you expect to receive from anyone who you call a criminal?
What will you yourself give, to anyone who calls you a criminal?

According to the league oF Nations mandate for Palestine in 1922' Jews
could settle anywhere in 'Palestine'. The San Remo conference gave the
Jews the same right. The UN confirmed the current validity of the
Leagues mandate system in Chapter 80 of the UN charter, including the
Mandate for Palestine. This was again confirmed by the International
Court in he South West Africa case in the 1060's. Further, UNSC'S
resolution 242 did not require Israel to return all the LANs captured in
the June 67 war. The Oslo accords of the 1990's allowed Israel to build
at will in area 'C' of the West Bank, which is where she has been
building. So quite contrary to what you say, Israeli settlements in the
WB is absolutely legal according to International Law.

Although, the Mandate epired, the rights of the Jews yto settle in all
of Palestine did not expire since 1. the Arabs refused to create a state
of their own, the arabs did not recognize Israels borders,and the San
remo conference conclusions are still valid. Further, UNSC decision 242
does not require Israel to return all the territories captured in 1967.
I suggest you read the Oslo accords. Israel retains sovereignty over
area C, which includes all Israeli settlements. This was agreed to by
the PLO and Arafat.

Sorry, Mickey, but it is ISRAEL - not "the Jews" - who is the
occupying power. It is therefore ISRAEL - not "the Jews" - who
is prohibited from adopting a policy of colonizing an occupied
territory. Yet colonize this territory it is, and that illegal act can't
be "legalized" by arguing that those ISRAELI colonies are 100%
stocked with Jews.

Both Res 476 & admitedly res 242 were both decided under article 6
of the security council. All resolutions under article 6 are suggestions
or recommendations which are non-binding on member states. The only
binding resolutions of the Security council are taken under article 7.
Therefore, Israel does not have to conform with res 476. The Oslo
accords however, are signed agreements between Israel and the
Palestinians and witnessed and endorsed by at least one high contracting
party, Norway. These accords are fully in accordance with international
Law and are binding on the signatories

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